Blue Hawks celebrate homecoming with big win

ROMAN SPARKS cutting through Charlo’s defense last Friday. (John Dowd/Clark Fork Valley Press)

TREY FISHER running for a touchdown for the Bluehawks last Friday. (John Dowd/Clark Fork Valley Press)

THE BLUEHAWKS in a huddle. (John Dowd/Clark Fork Valley Press)

by Chuck Bandel Valley
| October 15, 2019 11:37 AM

TREY FISHER running for a touchdown for the Bluehawks last Friday. (John Dowd/Clark Fork Valley Press)

THE BLUEHAWKS in a huddle. (John Dowd/Clark Fork Valley Press)

Thompson Falls ran its record to 6-1 behind a balanced ground attack and some timely aerial scoring as they rolled to a 57-18 homecoming win over Charlo in 8-man football action Friday night in Thompson Falls.

Nate Wilhite and Roman Sparks ran for a pair of touchdowns each as the Blue Hawks amassed 297 yards on the ground. Sparks also hauled in a 10-yard passing TD from senior quarterback Trey Fisher, who also ran 5 yards for a score.

Wilhite put the game’s first points on the scoreboard when he plowed over from seven yards out early in the first quarter.

Charlo then answered that score with one of its own as Viking running back Wrangler Gaustad crossed the goal line from 2 yards out, knotting the score at 6-6. Before the quarter ended, the Blue Hawks added two more running touchdowns, including a 14-yard run by senior Brandon Zimmerman and a 30-yard scamper by Sparks, making it 22-6 after the opening 12 minutes.

Thompson Falls struck first in the second quarter when Sparks hauled in the 10-yard throw from Fisher.

Charlo answered that score with one of its own when Roper Edwards hauled in a 53-yard TD pass from Gaustad for a Roper-to-Wrangler score.

Before the first half ended, the Blue Hawks ground game generated two more TDs, one a 2-yard run by Sparks and the other the 5-yard run by Fisher to close out the first half with Thompson Falls leading 42-12.

The Blue Hawks opened second half scoring with a 4-yard TD run by Wilhite before Charlo receiver Isaiah Allik snared a 32-yard scoring toss from Gaustad. Thompson Falls closed out the game’s scoring when Trae Thilmony grabbed a 15-yard pass from Sparks in the fourth quarter.

For the game, the Thompson Falls passing attack accounted for just 36 yards on 5 for 9 passing, but two of those receptions were worth 12 points. Fisher led the Blue Hawks in rushing with 134 yards on 11 carries, while Wilhite added 92 yards on 14 carries.

Fisher also led the team in total tackles with 10, including one sack.

Thompson Falls travels to Troy Thursday while Charlo, which dropped to 2-5 with the loss, visits Darby on Friday.